York County hears sharp public criticism of proposed FY2025 budget as board steers toward 74¢ real‑estate rate

York County’s Board of Supervisors heard more than a dozen residents and nonprofit representatives press for changes to the proposed FY2025 budget during a public hearing that ran the length of the evening.

Speakers who addressed the board urged either deeper cuts or clearer prioritization of spending. Pete Romeo, a retired Department of Defense manager, criticized across‑the‑board pay increases and urged merit‑based raises, saying the county should “seek to withdraw” several recent investments, including a proposed athletic complex he called risky. Larissa Turquette described a personal housing‑construction fraud and sought county assistance; Larissa Turquette asked for help finding shelter and medical care for a child she said was exposed to toxic mold. Kimberly Lasko, executive director of Heritage Humane Society, told the board animal intakes and medical costs have surged and asked the county to increase support beyond the $35,000 currently provided.

County Administrator Mark Bellamy opened the hearing with an overview of the budget package the county staff prepared. Bellamy said the total All‑County Funds budget is roughly $266 million and outlined two of the board’s options: lowering the real‑estate tax from 77¢ to the proposed 74¢ per $100 of assessed value, and eliminating the annual vehicle registration fee. He also described an increase in proposed trash and recycling charges driven by higher recycling disposal costs.

Multiple commenters challenged the county’s approach to assessments and the proposed rate change. Dr. Gerald Rubin cited Virginia Code §58.1‑3321 and questioned whether assessment and levy adjustments complied with the state requirement that total tax levies not exceed specified thresholds; Wes Thomas and others described assessment increases of 15–20 percent for some homes and urged the board to find departmental cuts instead of raising revenues.

Board members debated how to balance immediate taxpayer relief with multi‑year fiscal stability. Finance staff presented PFM projections that show the county’s unassigned fund balance could fall below policy in three to four years if the board reduces rates too far from the pack‑aged proposal. Chairman Shepherd and other supervisors emphasized that the May 7 work session is the target date for final budget action so that staff can meet advertising and implementation timelines.

By the end of the meeting the board gave staff direction to prepare a budget for the May 7 work session that would: keep the real‑estate tax rate at 74¢ per $100 of assessed value, eliminate the vehicle registration fee, and reduce the personal‑property tax by 5¢ (to $3.85 per $100), while asking staff to identify a modest supplemental allocation (board discussion referenced $7,500) for Heritage Humane to consider. The board requested that staff include supporting calculations and the projected multi‑year impact of these changes when the package returns in May.

The board also emphasized the need to preserve the county’s reserves and to weigh near‑term tax adjustments against forecasts showing potential pressure on fund balance in subsequent years. The May 7 work session is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the East Room and will be the next formal opportunity for the public to hear and review the administration’s updated budget recommendations.